That rascally robot M3GAN is back in a sequel to the surprise 2022 horror hit, and now, she’s gotten an upgrade. The creative team of writers Akela Cooper and James Wan, and director Gerald Johnstone are back for "M3GAN 2.0," which hits theaters this weekend, and it got us thinking about other films featuring girly droids, bots and AI. Call it a “Bot Girl Summer,” like the series currently running at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles.

First, brush up on M3GAN’s own lore, with the first film, which stars Allison Williams, who designs M3GAN and then lets her pal around with her grieving niece, not fully understanding the dangers of the dastardly mean girl she’s dreamed up. M3GAN’s sassy line readings and dance moves quickly made her a cult icon (as soon as the trailer dropped). Stream “M3GAN” on Starz or rent it on other digital platforms.

The bot girl goes all the way back to the silent era, with Fritz Lang’s nearly century-old epic, “Metropolis” (1927). This futuristic film features Brigitte Helm as Maria/“Maschinenmensch” in an iconic costume design that still feels avant-garde today. Stream “Metropolis” on Kanopy, Tubi, The Roku Channel, or rent it on other platforms.

In the 1970s, New Hollywood grappled with domestic life and the advancement of technology in the movies, especially with Bryan Forbes' 1975 film “The Stepford Wives,” based on the 1972 novel by Ira Levin. In the town of Stepford, the women are the perfect housewives, but something seems a bit off to the new family in town. And, well, they’re included on this list, aren’t they? Stream “The Stepford Wives” on Tubi, or check out the 2004 remake directed by Frank Oz and starring Nicole Kidman, streaming on Kanopy or available for rent.

We of course can’t forget the fembots from the “Austin Powers” franchise, who are a little bit Stepford, a little bit “Metropolis,” and lethal to boot. It’s always a good time to give the 1997 original, directed by Jay Roach, another watch. Rent it on all digital platforms.

Ridley Scott introduced us to the replicants in his 1982 sci-fi film “Blade Runner,” with Daryl Hannah and Sean Young playing the various “bot girls” that Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard encounters in a dystopian Los Angeles. In 2017, Denis Villeneuve tackled the world with “Blade Runner 2049,” starring Ryan Gosling, with Ana de Armas as a hologram bot girl. Rent both on all digital platforms.

This list would not be complete without Alex Garland’s 2015 film “Ex Machina,” in which Alicia Vikander plays the ultimate AI robot companion, whose intelligence ultimately exceeds her creator’s (rent on all digital platforms). It makes for a great double feature with Drew Hancock’s 2025 “Companion” starring Sophie Thatcher as an AI girlfriend who realizes her existence when she’s attacked on vacation with her “boyfriend” (Jack Quaid). Stream it on Max.

Finally, take “Alita: Battle Angel” for a spin — she’s probably the closest to the M3GAN 2.0 we’ll be seeing. Directed by Robert Rodriguez and co-written by James Cameron (who knows from killer robots), the divisive film has found a cult following. Rent it on all digital platforms.

———

©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC